ULTra Q&A
Q: What is ULTra?
- ULTra is a new type of transportation technology, which consists of small, lightweight, automatic electric vehicles running on slender, special-purpose guideways. ULTra Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) provides on-demand, non-stop transportation in your own personal vehicle. For a video introduction to the ULTra system, see the link on the right.
Q: Where can I see ULTra?
- The first commercial ULTra system has been built at London's Heathrow airport. The system is currently in the final stages of operational testing and is due to open to the public in 2010.
Q: I had heard you were expecting to carry passengers soon, why has the project been delayed?
- The Heathrow project is a complex integration of new technology into a major live airport. One of the lessons learnt from the Terminal 5 opening was to test and retest until we are sure of the system performance. We have also needed to change radio technology because the proposed frequency became unavailable. Taken together we jointly agreed to extend the opening date to mid-Summer 2010. It is a testament to BAA’s confidence in ULTra that the project is delivering close to the original aspiration.
ULTra control & safety
Q: Do the pods have drivers?
- No, ULTra pods are entirely automated. They can do this safely because they operate on an exclusive guideway, in a completely controlled environment. However, whilst the pods are guided entirely by computers, the network as a whole is monitored at all times by control room staff.
Q: Why is it driverless - isn’t it better to have a driver?
- In all forms of transport the principal cause of an accident is the driver. Existing large scale fully automatic systems in operation world wide have never had a fatality due to the automatic control system, and today’s computer technology is a major contributor to safer transport systems.
Q: Is the system safe?
- Safety in all aspects of the design, construction and operation of the system is ULTra PRT’s first priority, with assessment provided by an independent Safety Verification Team. Throughout its development, ULTra gained the appropriate regulatory approval at each key milestone. The vehicles operate on an exclusive guideway using three levels of automatic control, and the network is monitored at all times by control room staff.
Q: What about personal safety/security?
- Every vehicle is equipped with a "help" button which can instantly put the rider in audio and visual contact with a network operator, who will be equipped to deal with any emergency. If necessary, the operators can redirect a vehicle to a different station, or to waiting security personnel. In this way, the personal safety of the riders can be assured. Additionally, all elements of the system — vehicles, guideway, and stations — are covered by CCTV.
Q: What happens if there is a breakdown?
- As ULTra is expected to operate to aircraft standards of reliability, the possibility of breakdown is kept to a minimum (see operational robustness), and the design of ULTra eliminates most of the reasons that cause cars and other transport modes to fail during a journey. An intelligent vehicle health monitoring system will diagnose potential problems in a vehicle so it can be taken out of service to deal with them, before it breaks down. In the extremely unlikely event that a vehicle does break down a service vehicle will go and retrieve it immediately. The vehicle also has emergency exits and with the vehicles being self-powered, when no vehicles are travelling on the guideway it is entirely safe to walk on.
ULTra specifications
Q: How many people can ULTra carry?
- An ULTra vehicle can carry up to 4-6 passengers at once, depending on the internal configuration. They can be thought of as "driverless taxis", which provide a personal service for you and your companions.
Q: How much does ULTra cost?
- The cost can depend on many different factors, although a range of £5M - £10M per mile is typical. In a place where any tunneling or extensive customisation is required then the costs will be higher.
Q: How is ULTra powered?
- ULTra vehicles are 100% electrically powered, using batteries that are recharged whenever the vehicle is parked at a station. The batteries provide an average 2KW of motive power, only adding 8% to the gross weight of the vehicle.
Q: What speed does it travel at?
- The maximum speed is 40 kph (25 mph). This may not seem very fast, but it is important to remember that this is non-stop: once an ULTra pod departs its station of origin, it does not stop again until it reaches its destination. In congested urban areas, this makes ULTra considerably faster than private cars, and much faster than trains or buses, except for express services with few intermediate stops.
ULTra infrastructure
Q: Will ULTra run on existing roads? What happens to the other traffic?
- No, ULTra would never run along existing roads; this prevents road congestion from affecting ULTra, and also ensures ULTra would not cause any issues for current transport systems (indeed, it offers many benefits to other modes of transport)
Q: Is ULTra built on a track/guideway?
- Yes. For reasons of both speed and safety, ULTra vehicles are never allowed to mix with pedestrians or other traffic. The guideway is very minimal, however, due to the lightweight nature of the vehicles, and is also completely customisable.
Q: Will it be elevated?
- At times. In the different proposed systems, there are places where it is elevated, and other places where it is at ground level, below ground, and possibly even inside buildings.
Q: Is ULTra a monorail?
- No, it is not a monorail. Monorails use large vehicles, travelling on heavy guideways, carrying large groups of people along pre-determined routes at pre-scheduled times, with many stops along the way. ULTra uses small vehicles, travelling on lightweight guideways, carrying individuals or small groups, along user-determined routes, on demand, with no intermediate stops. Thus ULTra is almost exactly unlike a monorail.
Q: Could you put the system in a tunnel?
- Yes, if it was appropriate for that location. Although tunneling is in general more expensive than using elevated guideway, the compact nature of the ULTra system makes the cheaper cut-and-cover method of tunneling an attractive option where underground operation is desirable.
The impact of ULTra
Q: Is ULTra environmentally friendly?
- We believe that ULTra is the most environmentally friendly form of transit ever invented. It uses approximately 1,000 BTUs per passenger-mile, which makes it 50% more energy-efficient than buses or trains, and 70% more energy-efficient than private cars. ULTra meets Kyoto sustainability targets - to provide at least a 60% reduction in carbon emissions over the car - now, rather than in 2050, which is the target date set by the Kyoto agreement.
Q: How does the typical energy usage of ULTra compare to that of other forms of public transport?
- ULTra utilises 0.55 MJ/passenger km, compared to between 1.2 and 2.4 MJ/passenger km for other forms of public transport, making it at least 50% more energy-efficient than buses, trains or trams.
Q: How does the typical energy usage of ULTra compare to that of cars?
- ULTra is typically around 70% more energy-efficient than cars, but this rises to 90% in peak periods when cars (and buses) are restricted by congestion.
Q: Could the ULTra system run on solar power?
- Solar power could be used via station or guideway collectors. ULTra PRT is also watching a range of technologies that are being developed with the potential to offer cleaner energy, for example fuel cells. Once they are available in a practical form and can provide useful environmental benefits, ULTra’s modular approach will allow a straightforward adoption of the technology at that time.
Q: How noisy is ULTra?
- As the vehicles are electrically powered, they are very quiet. The noise has been compared to that of a bicycle with a well-oiled chain, and from a few meters away, it is effectively inaudible.
Q: How wide does the route need to be?
- Approximately 2.1m (7 feet) wide, including the outer kerbs. This is approximately 30% narrower than a typical road lane. You can read more about the guideway infrastructure here.
Q: Do we need more infrastructure in our cities?
- The guideway is approximately 30% narrower than a typical road lane, and present estimates indicate that in order to serve an urban area, only one single lane ULTra guideway is required for every six current roads. It is also planned to make better use of existing transport rights of way, such as the space beside railway lines or major roads. You can read more about the guideway infrastructure here.
ULTra compared to other forms of transport
Q: How many car trips could ULTra save?
- In numerous studies of other cities, PRT networks have been estimated to decrease car trips by 10% to 30% or more, with an average decrease of 15%.
Q: Would there be any benefits for cyclists?
- Definitely. ULTra vehicles are spacious enough to carry multiple bicycles on-board, greatly extending the range of possible cycling activities (such as riding ULTra up a hill and cycling back down, or cycling out in the sunshine, and riding ULTra back in the rain). Additionally, in certain locations it may be desirable to build elevated ULTra guideway directly above cycling paths, providing a semi-sheltered environment for cyclists.
Q: Wouldn't this undermine existing bus services?
- In studies conducted for various cities, ULTra PRT has found that system will increase the ridership of all public transit modes, including city buses. The reason is simple: ULTra makes it much easier to leave your car at home, but it can't go everywhere. By increasing the total number of non-automotive trips, ULTra naturally increases the viability of transit services across the board, including buses.
Q: Why is ULTra better than a bus or a train?
- A bus or train is only available at a predetermined time and for a predetermined route; ULTra is available when you want it, going directly (non-stop) to where you want to go. However we see ULTra as working best in combination with existing forms of transport - it is not that ULTra is better than a bus or train as they are designed to do different jobs. Where ULTra excels is in integrating all of an areas transport assets to provide everyone with a high quality transport service. For example rail or bus can do the long distance links down the existing corridors, while ULTra provides an efficient network linkage within the city.
Q: Will ULTra replace buses and trains?
- ULTra is most beneficial when established over a certain area for a specific application. The plan is not to replace buses and trains, which can operate on a far larger scale. Essentially, ULTra is an alternative to buses and trains when a bus or a train is not the best solution to the transport problem. We envisage that the ULTra network will expand across the city so people will use it rather than getting caught in traffic jams. The consequence of this will be that parts of the city currently used for roads and car parks could be returned to use by people.
Videos
3-minute introduction to ULTra Personal Rapid Transit
The ULTra Passenger Experience
Environmental Benefits
Passenger Benefits
Downloads
